Microbial assimilation of hydrocarbons. I. Fatty acids derived from normal alkanes.
Fatty acids derived from Micrococcus cerificans growing at the expense of odd- and even-carbon normal alkanes were studied. Results demonstrated that cultures grown with a variety of nonhydrocarbon substrates serving as sole carbon and energy source yielded only even-carbon fatty acids. Even-chain alkanes, dodecane through octadecane serving as sole carbon source, resulted in even-carbon fatty acids with direct correlation between carbon number of the major fatty acid species and carbon number of the alkane substrate. Odd-carbon alkanes, undecane through heptadecane serving as sole carbon source, yielded both odd- and even-carbon fatty acids. A transitional shift from even-carbon fatty acids to odd-carbon fatty acids was observed as the carbon number of the alkane substrate increased. Unsaturated fatty acids were found to comprise a significant percentage of all profiles. Analysis of unsaturated fatty acids showed all odd- and even-carbon acids analyzed were Delta(9) monounsaturated fatty acids.
D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008837:Micrococcus / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D000473:Alkanes; D005227:Fatty Acids